Zimbabwe National Water Authority owed $256bn, takes legal action

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has resolved to take legal action while in some instances disconnecting defaulting clients in order to recover $256 billion owed by rate payers.

The water authority has said providing uninterrupted service requires adequate resources to cater for costs related to electricity, fuel, water treatment chemicals and spares, which was a challenge when clients do not pay on time.

Zinwa supplies water to Government departments, mines, domestic users, farmers and other parastatals.

In a statement yesterday, Zinwa head of corporate communications and marketing, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, said the blotted debtors’ bill was choking the parastatal.

“Zinwa is currently owed in excess of $256 billion in unpaid water bills by various consumers, a development that has seriously compromised the authority’s capacity to provide sustainable service,” she said.

“This situation has adversely affected Zinwa’s ability to efficiently execute its mandate as the authority needs critical inputs such as electricity, fuel, water treatment chemicals and spares required for un-interrupted service delivery,” said Mrs Munyonga.

She revealed that Government departments constituted the top debtors with some of the outstanding bills stretching over a four months period.

“Of this amount, domestic clients owe a total of $29 836 260 276.15 while Government ministries and departments account for the biggest chunk of the debtors’ book at $132 481 369 619,68. Irrigating farmers are the authority’s second largest debtor, owing $53 765 173 087,36 and followed by local authorities whose debt stands at $16 152 616 447,17,” said Mrs Munyonga.

“Mines owe a total of $7 988 101 782,14 while parastatals account for ZWL$6 215 575 906,75.”

Mrs Munyonga said non-payment of water bills has severely compromised Zinwa’s capacity to provide service and to meet its obligations to suppliers, as well as settling statutory obligations such as taxes.

She said the failure to pay the bills on time was also affecting the organisation’s strategies to mitigate against the spread of cholera.

Last month, Zinwa revealed that it was drilling 140 boreholes in cholera hotspots as part of its measures to help fight the water-borne disease.

“This has also militated against the authority’s efforts to help stop the spread of the current cholera outbreak through the provision of reliable service,” said Mrs Munyonga.

In order to recover the funds, she said Zinwa is taking legal action against its debtors while encouraging them to clear their debts so that they are not affected.

“In order to curb the further growth of the debtors’ book and to ensure continued service, Zinwa has instituted a raft of measures to recover the outstanding amounts through engaging defaulting clients, taking legal action against some clients and as a last resort, disconnecting those in arrears.

“Zinwa is also encouraging clients who may have difficulties settling their water bills to approach their nearest offices and present acceptable payment plans,” said Mrs Munyonga.

She said farmers have, however, been spared as the country is facing a drought due low rains and they need to irrigate their crops to ensure national food security.

Mrs Munyonga said Zinwa will also be implementing stop order arrangements on farmers to recover its revenue when farmers sell their produce.

“The authority is, therefore, appealing to all irrigating farmers to ensure that their water use is in terms of valid water abstraction agreements and that they take advantage of the existing stop order arrangements. Zinwa reiterates that there is a correlation between paying for water and service delivery.

“When users and recipients of services do not pay, it becomes extremely difficult for utilities to provide reliable and sustainable services,” said Mrs Munyonga. —@nqotshili